Having a gazebo in your garden offers both fun and functionality with a range of versatile ideas for use. But when you want to build your own wooden gazebo, how do you maximise both aesthetic appeal and practicality? This guide on gazebo roof ideas has the answers.
Learn more about how you can uniquely utilise the roof of a wooden gazebo and complete your garden space, or contact us if you want specialist assistance creating your build first.
Roof Design Options
Hip Roof
This is the classic roof style for a gazebo and may be one of the first design options you consider when thinking about the latest addition to your garden. Pyramid-shaped, the gently sloping sides of these roofs meet at a single peak to form an aesthetically pleasing and traditional design.
Flat Roof
Flat roof gazebos are less common in the UK, but having one in your garden can offer a wonderfully Mediterranean feel. This will be especially true when the weather is warmer and you can enjoy sitting outside with friends and family.
Lean-To Roof
If you are intent on creating a covered garden space that connects to your property, or if you have a smaller garden and would like to make the most of limited space, a lean-to gazebo is what you need.
Typically constructed with a flat roof at a slight angle, these structures can become a conduit space between interiors and exteriors, or they can stand alone as their own covered area. They can also be made thin to act as a walkway or wide enough to accommodate a dining table.
Gable End Roof
Much like the hip roof style, gable end roofs offer a timeless aesthetic. Elegant and easily created from multiple materials, a gable end roof may be what you need for your garden gazebo if you want a traditional-looking space to dine and relax in the summer.
Octagonal Roof
Larger gazebos in precisely-cultivated and managed gardens may benefit from the distinguished appeal of an octagonal gazebo. This would, naturally, require an octagonal roof. These structures are particularly eye-catching and would put guests and visitors in mind of delightfully old-fashioned bandstands from days gone by.
Tiered Roof
Another example of older architecture is the tiered roof. These can be manufactured as a “double roof”, or tiered with a cupola.
Tiered Roof
Another example of older architecture is the tiered roof. These can be manufactured as a “double roof”, or tiered with a cupola.
Barrel Top Roof
One of the more unusual shapes for a gazebo roof design is the barrel top roof. The continuous arch in this design’s wooden frame creates a wonderful curve that is bound to draw the eye, while also giving the impression of a larger design than a square or triangular roof might.
Another benefit to a round roof design is the ease with which rainwater will run off the sides. This is extremely useful for protecting your structure in a country like the UK, where the weather is typically wetter.
Asian Style Roof
These roof styles are common in Japanese gardens, and often overlook stunning water features. If your ideal outdoor living space features a pond or stream, alongside rock gardens and highly-manicured bushes and cultivated plants, then a gazebo in this style may help you to complete the aesthetic appeal.
Roof Material Options
Once you have decided on the style or design of roof that you would like, you will then need to think about the materials you would like your roof to be made from:
Wooden Roof
A traditional material like wood offers a range of benefits to gazebo roof designs. Not only does it offer a classical charm and appearance, but it also gains strength and durability over time. This leaves you with a solid roof (and structure overall) that also blends seamlessly with any modern or period architecture in the rest of your property.
Tile Roof
Tile roofs are also particularly sought-after for their strength and aesthetics. There are many different tile materials that you can choose from. These include slate, natural stone, and clay.
Metal Roof
When paired with a mostly wooden frame, a metal roof can offer a rustic appearance that adds natural charm to your back garden. If you have an old-style barbeque and a picnic table, it can even create a quaint spot for having a long lunch or dinner on summer afternoons and evenings.
Plastic Roof
Plastic roofing may not be the first material you consider when thinking about gazebo roof ideas, but it can offer the same appeal as having a metal roof when applied correctly. Using a mix of clear plastic overlapped with opaque plastic can also offer you a range of options for light and shade, meaning you can decide whether you want to sit in the sun or cool off.
Thatch Roof
Thatch roofing is seeing a resurgence in popularity around the UK, especially in the countryside where this roofing style is also found on houses. If you would like your gazebo to take one step closer to the great outdoors, then a thatched roof might be the right option for you.
Painting and Decorating Options
Painting a Gazebo
There are a myriad of options available for painting gazebo roofing, from the standard “one colour” or “two colour” to two-tone options and more intricate designs. Deciding on these will be up to personal preference, but we would recommend a lighter shade like white on the rest of the structure and a darker shade like slate grey or navy blue on the roof.
Hanging Lights
You may want to sit in your gazebo late into the evening, in which case you will need lighting. Stringing hanging lights or lanterns around the underside of the roof will add a warm, gentle glow and add to the air of relaxation.
Plants and Gardening Ideas
Cultivating Climbing Plants
Climbing plants can easily be encouraged to cling to gazebo frames – especially those made of wood. The longer they are left, the higher they will climb, offering you the opportunity to have a completely covered and green gazebo, tended to entirely by you.
Growing a Living Roof
You can even make the most of a roof space going spare by turning your gazebo roof into a living roof. This environmentally-friendly idea offers the best of both modern and traditional aesthetics, and you will be doing your bit for the environment by encouraging flora and fauna to thrive in your garden.
Begin Building Your Ideal Gazebo
If your garden ideas will only be fully realised once you have installed the perfect gazebo design, contact The Porch Specialist today. As a leading supplier of oak and Douglas-fir structures in the UK, we can guarantee you a bespoke, precision-manufactured product at competitive prices.
All of our products are crafted from the finest materials with a meticulous quality assurance process. Everything we make is sent out for delivery as soon as the work has been signed off (within 6 to 8 weeks).
Your gazebo will come with pre-cut and pre-drilled timber pieces, as well as instructions for easy assembly. This means you can get started on building your gazebo, and the roof you wish it to have, as soon as the product is delivered to your door.
